Moderators: Kilroy, Danny Darko, TyCobb
larry14r wrote:Jetset wrote:CP3 to NY, Howard to NJ/BK. LAL gets left out in the cold, and is forced to build through the draft. Book it. It's going to be harder for an aging Boston to compete as well.
And that is the most realistic sernario that will happen for the Lakers because no team is going to bail them out. So we're on our own.
LA Forever wrote:Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams have now moved out of the Western Conference from their respective teams (Suns, Nuggets, and Jazz). The Lakers have played each and every one of those teams in the playoffs for the past 3 years. For now, the top powerhouses in the West are San Antonio, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
Dwight Howard has been hinting that it is a possibility that he wants to play for the Lakers (or some other team) in the future if Orlando doesn’t start playing championship basketball and all these trades and signings have got me thinking. 2 years ago, he had to face Wade and the Heat, the Big 3 in Boston, and James and the Cavs. Now, he has to go up against Wade, James, and Bosh on the Heat, the Big 3 in Boston (plus Shaq), Rose and Boozer on the Bulls, Williams on the Nets, and Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony on the Knicks. He’s got big competition in the East, even moreso than before. The West has now pretty much been watered down of it’s all-stars/superstars, with only Bryant, CP3, Durant, and TD being the big names left. Maybe a move to the Lakers and a much easier Western Conference will be enough to motivate him to force a sign and trade to the Lakers, or sign as a free agent, if all the right moves and agreements are made a couple of years from now… what do you guys think? What I'm really trying to say is that I don't think Howard will be in the Eastern Conference for long.
dirtymike wrote:where is the Laker love??? i guess after the Pau for Kwame deal, we cant get no love from anybody!
AI-in-LA wrote:This was an IDIOTIC trade for the Nets and does NOT make them a solid landing spot for Dwight whatsoever.
The Nets are still a JOKE, they are not going to make the playoffs this year ... they won't even make them next year without a key addition or two.
The Nets traded an All-star PG, young talented big and two lottery picks for a guy who is NOT HAPPY with the trade and who could leave them for NOTHING after next season ... I'm sorry but without a guarentee from D-Will that he would sign an extension, the Nets should NEVER have even thought about making this trade. They just mortgaged their entire future on the hopes that D-Will will sign an extension ... after missing the playoffs altogether this year and being about 24-28 at next year's trade deadline, why in the world would D-Will want to sign an extension? Nope, I can see him demanding a trade to the Lakers by this time next year!
As for Dwight ... anyone who thinks he would even consider going to OKC is nuts ... it's Hollywood, NY or Orlando ONLY ... he's not going to go play secnd fiddle to Durant, no way, no how.
The Skyhook wrote:Danny Darko wrote:i love this-
NJ gets a much better situation than Mello would have been. Utah gets weaker, and Deron the laker hater hates his new home after driving out Sloan.*gets popcorn*
You know if we get back to the Finals again this year they are going to be saying the West was weak and the Lakers had a cakewalk to the Finals. They always come up with some type of excuse.
SmartWentCrazy wrote:It's extremely unlikely that they end up in the top 3.They're probably better off trying to win and giving Philly the 8th pick than tanking and giving them the 4th.
DEEP3CL wrote:Winning West is getting easier, it's either us or San Antone for the next few years.
Hunter103 wrote:chefy wrote:OK, so correct me if I'm wrong. Doesn't every player that have been playing for 5 years or more have a "no trade clause" contract or something like that?
You're wrong
Player has to play so many years for one team (or maybe under one contract, not sure about that), then MUST become an unrestricted free agent, then MUST re-sign with the same team he was previously under contract with. Or something like that.
It's why Kobe was the only guy with a NTC for a long time.
KingLakers wrote:OKC is easily the future of the West right now the Spurs have been able to build the teams they've had because of Duncan once he's gone they'll probably need to throw another season like 96-97 to get that next star. The Mavs have the money to rebuild pretty quickly but they should start going down over the next couple yrs. And the Lakers also have the money to rebuild quickly but unless Bynum goes from good player to regular all star or the Lakers can't use some pieces and trade for a Paul or Howard they'll probably turn into what the Spurs were the last couple yrs which is a playoff contender but can't get out of the second round of the playoffs.
xD It's just my oppinion, because this year it will be quite different since we won't have HCA vs the Spurs. I hope we'll finish 2nd at least.
Nett wrote:Western Conference will become like the Eastern Conference of the early 2000's. Personally, I think the Mavs and Spurs are done. OKC and the Lakers will dominate for the next few years.
